Cape Town - The hundreds of Phola Park informal settlements residents left destitute after a fire destroyed their shacks on New Year’s Day have been left to fend for themselves, with none of the promises made to them by the city and national government materialising.
About 760 people were left destitute after a devastating fire ripped through the area, killing one person and destroying 247 shacks on January 1.
A few metres away from where the fire initially started, another fire destroyed 75 structures five days later, displacing a further 378 people.
Some of the victims have been squatting with their relatives, while those less fortunate have been making use of a local church and a community hall.
A week after the fire, national Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, together with the City’s Human Settlements Mayco member Malusi Booi, conducted assessments in the community as well as others, including Dunoon and Khayelitsha, which have also experienced fires.
Residents were urged not to rebuild to make way for reblocking, and promised to be provided with proper building materials.
However, Dunoon and Khayelitsha residents, who said there was no sense of direction from authorities, rebuilt again.
Last month, the City said more than R5 million has been allocated to verified residents affected by the fires, with Phola Park being a priority.
However, resident Likhanyile Ndaba said to date not one promise has been fulfilled.
“It is tough here. People are living with children in overcrowded churches and a hall. They have to fend for themselves, put money together and get something to eat.
Since the day we lost everything, those of us who don’t have relatives nearby sleep at different houses. One week I’m at a friend’s house, the next I’m sleeping at another house. This is not life; they should have just let us rebuild than leave us to live like this,” said Ndaba.
Another resident, Themba Xolweni, said they had kept quiet thinking something would change.
“Enough is enough now. Officials are sleeping comfortably in their homes, while we are not. No official has visited the hall and churches to see how people live. Where is the R5m we hear about in the media? We need time frames,” he said.
Department of Human Settlements head of Communications Nozipho Zulu said: “We can confirm that the National Department of Human Settlements has transferred R3.5m to the City of Cape Town. This was done on February 3, 2023. As per the framework, the remainder of the balance will be transferred once the City of Cape Town has expensed 80% of the transferred funds.”
Human Settlements Mayco member Malusi Booi said the City was not privy to where fire-affected people were staying when asked about the living conditions in Phola Park, and if officials had visited for assessments.
“(The City) however, has continued to engage, even earlier this week, to find a way forward. The City will continue to do all in its power to assist. Soft relief was co-ordinated by the City at the time of the fire, which including debris removal, making the site safer and co-ordinating relief from relief organisations.
The City applied and advocated for funding from the national government to support the affected households with shelter materials.”
He said R5m was approved by the national government for incidents affecting some 1 000 residents in areas across the metro.
“The verified Phola Park fire-affected will receive shelter material to be purchased by the City with the funding received,” said Booi.
Cape Times